Industrial internet to aid integration

China will accelerate development of the industrial internet, promoting deeper integration of the manufacturing sector with advanced information technology, the State Council has said.

The digital economy should be boosted to make the country a powerhouse in manufacturing and internet-based industries, according to a statement released after an executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Oct 30.

Favorable policies will be used to create an inviting business environment, including administrative reforms, easier access for products and services, preferential fiscal and tax policies, and innovative financing.

The statement said these measures will promote development of the internet and advanced manufacturing.

Internal and external networks will be improved, with support given to large industrial cloud platforms that can foster corporate connections and exchanges.

The government has pledged to strengthen construction of internet networks nationwide. The target is to have a new generation of internet facilities in advanced manufacturing by 2020. Internet fees will also be reduced, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, the Cabinet said.

Enterprises have been urged to step up efforts to safeguard cybersecurity through technical research on chips, bugs and online attacks. Key areas, such as the auto, energy and aerospace industries, should build management systems to ensure network safety, the statement said.

The State Council said the industrial internet should be developed in an open and integrated way, with domestic and foreign enterprises encouraged to forge closer cross-border ties.

Findings of website checks released

The State Council has conducted a nationwide inspection of internet-based service platforms operated by local governments in a bid to improve services and convenience.

Some 201 online platforms were selected at random for inspection, including 30 run by provincial authorities, 42 by city authorities and 129 by county or district authorities.

Basic functions such as searches, registration and inquiries were evaluated on their level of effectiveness, while inspectors also checked services closely related to people’s lives. More than 80 percent of basic functions were available on websites run by governments in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, and Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong and Hainan provinces, according to the findings.

However, the inspections found that some websites did not have shared information about government affairs, while others had incomplete functions or provided inaccurate information about services.

Based on the findings, the State Council urged all government departments to improve their platforms by providing more detailed and accurate service information, as well as updating the information in time. By the end of the year, all departments are required to provide self-inspection reports to the central government.